McDonald’s has appointed indie Wieden + Kennedy New York (WKNY) as lead creative agency for its US business with 14,000 restaurants, the largest market for the fast food chain.
The announcement comes after an evaluation of its marketing agency model, signalling a new approach after three years with Omnicom Group via We Are Unlimited, a bespoke agency created by DDB in Chicago for the account.
The change puts into question the hybrid agency model where a form of war cabinet is created, pulling in people from across a holding company, outside experts and from the client's resources.
AdNews understands the appointment will have no impact on DDB Sydney, which holds the McDonald’s Australia account.
DDB Sydney won a Gold at the Effies this year for its McDonald’s “I'm lovin' the short of it (as much as the long)”.
“As marketers for the iconic McDonald’s brand, we have the responsibility to continue to innovate and modernise our marketing," says Morgan Flatley, McDonald’s US chief marketing officer.
"We are transforming every aspect of our business, and now took the opportunity to ensure that we have the right agency partners in place to accelerate our growth.
“We are confident the talented team at Wieden + Kennedy New York will drive the creative excellence that will influence culture and develop relationships with our customers in new ways.
"We would like to thank We Are Unlimited for their work over the last three years supporting key moments in our transformation and operational excellence.”
McDonald’s says WKNY was chosen for its strong strategic and creative output and successful track record in developing provocative content to develop relationships between customers and well-known brands including Nike, Bud Light, Coca-Cola (for Sprite and Vitamin Water) and Delta.
McDonald’s, which initiated an agency review earlier this year, says it became clear the brand would benefit from additional creative horsepower to build deeper connections with customers and drive re-appraisal of the brand.
We Are Unlimited will continue to support the business with a focus on operational excellence.
Colin Mitchell, McDonald’s SVP global marketing, says: “Globally, we are trying to evolve our creative, like the rest of the customer experience. This move allows us to push our vision for modern marketing in this very important market.”
WKNY will begin work in the next month to plan for 2020.
“We’re incredibly excited and honored to be part of the McDonald’s team at this critical juncture in their business transformation,” says Neal Arthur, managing director of Wieden + Kennedy New York.
“McDonald’s has created some of the most iconic branding, advertising and marketing initiatives the world has ever known, and we look forward to working across the company and agency network to continue this rich tradition.”
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